The new year of 2025 marks the calendar for a universal time of reflection and goal-setting for countless families. Whether setting a goal to take a road trip with friends, learning to cook a family recipe, or creating a weekly fitness routine, people take part in this societal tradition, yet it does not always take them very far. Oftentimes, those around the world will partake in self-reflection to dig deep into themselves and discover what they want to improve upon. But, are creating these resolutions specifically around New Year’s time even worth it, or is it just a way to follow the norms of society?
Some students at Blake do not believe in New Year’s resolutions, because they are content to set goals at any part of the year, not just on the day it’s socially accepted. Jayla Ferguson ‘26 explained, “I don’t really care about New Year’s Resolutions because I feel like if I want to set a goal, I will set it when I would like to achieve it. Not just because it’s the New Year.” Similarly, Alaena Bohrnsen ‘25 remarked, “I personally think that resolutions shouldn’t just be for one point in the year. If you want to do something, you should do it when you feel like it, instead of forcing yourself to do something at a specific time.”
On the other hand, Lauren Mohan ‘25 explains her hesitance to create new goals is due to the immense change that will occur in her life through going to college. Mohan said, “What I want or might be achieving changes throughout the year. Especially this year, it’s kind of surreal because, in the same year, we’re gonna be graduating high school and also starting college. What my life will look like is going to change a lot.”
Romare Onishi ‘25 reflected on how his goals have shifted from last year to this year. While last year he wanted “to be a better person,” this year he hopes “to be a more forgiving person.” These goals are inspired by his mom’s suggestion and his recent experience of benefitting from a lot of forgiveness. Phoebe Balfour ‘25, similarly keeps her resolutions in her head, explaining her goal is to “live in the present more.”
Kelly Deng ‘25 has created resolutions since high school began to try to get into good habits. She said some of her “biggest goals are to stay consistent with going to the gym and working out. Also making sure to have a balance between keeping up with school and seeing my friends, not just getting caught up in the work.” She intends to hold herself accountable through self-motivation and keeping check-lists to hit her quota for each week. In addition, Deng recommends other students and faculty at Blake create resolutions because they “give you something to work for and a way to keep up motivation. The hard part is sticking with it, but I think you have to really want it for yourself in order for it to work out.”
